one, Nicholson Construction, and moved to Cuddy, Pa. Pete Nicholson was chosen to head both firms and remained at the head of both even after Rodio, a major Italian company, bought part of the firm in 1987. Another Nicholson, younger brother Joseph, also worked in the firm, and took over in 1995. During a turbulent period in the early Rodio days that included intervention by “some management consultants,” the brothers both left the company and went their separate ways, Joseph out of the industry altogether. to others. Ressi cites Nicholson’s talent at dealing with people, especially his rapport with crews. He is also a reliable “nice guy.” Donald Bruce, president of Geoconsult and participant in several consulting alliances, worked for Nicholson from 1986 to 1996. Bruce recalls those years, saying Nicholson had the reputation of being a leader in the field, one who was willing to take risks to try new technologies. One mark of recognition of Pete’s skills was that engineers such as Wayne Clough, now head of the Smithsonian Institute, George Pete, as he is universally known, “is open to trying new things, and knows how to evaluate risks. He is not a foolish risk-taker.” Woodward-Clyde then asked Nicholson to head its recently acquired Pennsylvania firm, Geo-Con. Nicholson ran that firm for three years before he decided to become a consultant. Today, after 12 years he says he loves it. The work is varied and interesting, and, “so far,” he has always been paid. Ressi says this current career is a natural transition; Nicholson is now contributing his “considerable accumulated knowledge” Tamaro of MRCE and Cornell University’s Thomas O’Rourke consulted with Nicholson on geotechnical matters. Bruce also gives some management credit to Nicholson for keeping the firm intact during some “hard times.” Seth Pearlman, who worked for Nicholson at about the same time, says that Pete believed in hiring good people, and that he “cared for his people” and he also gave them responsibility. An example was his first assignment from Nicholson, a thick stack of plans for an expressway in Philadelphia. Pearlman helped with the value engineering proposal that was com- pleted in three weeks. Tamaro recalls meeting Nicholson in 1972 at a San Juan, Puerto Rico, project where he was using high capacity soil anchors, an innovation at the time. Tamaro, famous in the industry for the World Trade Center “bathtub,” called on Nicholson and others to consult with Mueser Rutledge and the City of New York after 9/11. His skills and talents were “useful and appreciated,” says Tamaro, who also praises Nicholson for his “rare calm” in a confrontational field. He doesn’t get excited, according to Tamaro, and his manner encourages collaboration. Nicholson, a past DFI board member and committee chair, cites the example of William Loftus, whose idea it was to get engineers, contractors and suppliers together in a non-confrontational manner. Finally, Nicholson believes that engineers today are more ready to accept new technology and have more respect for contractors, both positive things that may be due in part to DFI. Virginia Fairweather 34 • DEEP FOUNDATIONS • MAY/JUNE 2012
